Beginner Hip Sprain and Strain Rehabilitation
A 19-week beginner program for rehabilitating sprains and strains in the hip area, focusing on the labrum, cartilage, tendons, and bursa, using back braces, kettlebells, and TRX bands.
Professional rehabilitation program designed for effective recovery and pain management.
Key facts at a glance
- Body part
- lower-limb · hip
- Injury type
- sprain-strain
- Level
- beginner
- Duration
- 19
- Sessions/week
- 5
- Minutes/session
- 60
- Evidence level
- moderate
- ICD-10
- S72
- Cost tier
- moderate
Program Overview This is a 19-week, beginner-level rehabilitation guide for a hip sprain or strain. It blends guided clinic-based treatments with a progressive home and gym routine to help you rebuild hip strength, movement, and confidence over time. The pace is deliberately gradual, and your clinician will adjust each step to how your hip responds.
Who This Program Is For and Its Goal This program suits people recovering from a hip sprain or strain involving the labrum, cartilage, tendons, or bursa, who can begin gentle movement under supervision. The goal is to protect the healing tissue early, then steadily restore range of motion, muscle activation, and daily function. It is not meant for people with a recent fracture, so your clinician will confirm it fits you.
Before You Start Have your clinician review this plan and confirm your starting point. Clearing any recent fracture concerns comes first. You will use a back brace, kettlebell, and TRX straps, so ask for a quick equipment and form check before your first session. Clear instructions on your specific restrictions matter more than pushing ahead quickly.
Safety Notes and When to Stop Because you have a recent-fracture concern, do not begin loading or weight-bearing work until your clinician clears you. Always warm up before activity, avoid overloading the hip, and stop if pain increases rather than pushing through it. Stop and contact your clinician if you have sharp or worsening pain, new swelling, cannot bear weight, feel numbness, or notice night pain that disrupts sleep.
Weekly Structure Plan for five sessions each week, about 60 minutes each, across 19 weeks. Sessions mix clinic-based treatments with supervised exercise, and your clinician will tell you which parts happen in clinic versus at home. Equipment such as the back brace, kettlebell, and TRX is introduced gradually and only when appropriate for your stage.
How the Plan Is Organized The early weeks focus on protection and pain control, using gentle movement and modalities to calm symptoms. As you meet the progression checkpoints, you move into early mobility and activation, then build strength and control. Later weeks emphasize function and confidence. Progress depends on meeting criteria, not just on the calendar, so some phases may take a little longer.
What a Typical Session Looks Like Each session follows a predictable pattern: a warm-up to prepare the hip, a main block of targeted exercises and any clinician-directed modalities, then a cool-down. Your clinician may use ultrasound, electrical stimulation, laser therapy, aquatic therapy, or kinesiology taping as part of your care. The kettlebell and TRX are used for controlled strengthening once you are ready.
Warm-Up, Main Work, and Cool-Down Start with gentle movement and easy activation to warm the hip. The main work includes controlled exercises using the TRX for support and the kettlebell for graded resistance, with the back brace used as advised. Modalities such as ultrasound or laser may be applied in clinic. Finish with slow stretching and calm breathing to cool down.
Tracking Progress Keep a simple log of pain during and after activity, what exercises you did, and how your hip felt the next day. Your clinician will also track range of motion, strength, and functional tests. This record helps everyone see trends and decide when you are ready to advance, rather than relying on how you feel on any single day.
How Progression Criteria Are Used You move to the next phase when you meet specific checkpoints, such as low pain at rest, improved hip range of motion, and tolerating gentle strengthening without flare-ups. Your clinician measures these along with outcome tools like the Hip Outcome Score, NAHS, iHOT-12, single leg hop test, and Timed Up and Go. These guide decisions and are not targets to force.
Recovery and Self-Care Recovery happens between sessions. Prioritize sleep, stay hydrated, and follow your clinician's guidance on activity and rest. Use ice or heat only as your clinician advises. Keep daily movement gentle and consistent rather than intense and sporadic. If a modality such as kinesiology taping is used, follow instructions for wear time and skin care.
Pain Management and Red Flags Mild, settling discomfort is common, but increasing pain is a signal to ease off and check in with your clinician. Do not add new exercises or resistance on your own beyond the plan. Seek prompt care for severe or sudden pain, inability to bear weight, new swelling or warmth, fever, or numbness and weakness in the leg.
Recovery phases
Pain at rest less than 2/10 on VAS scale,Hip flexion range of motion greater than 70 degrees,Able to tolerate weight-bearing as tolerated with assistive device,No aggravating positions of hip flexion combined with internal rotation,Absence of night pain affecting sleep,Tolerance of gentle passive range of motion within pain-free arc
→ Advance to: Phase 2: Early Mobility
Pain with activities less than 3/10 on VAS scale,Hip flexion range of motion greater than 85 degrees,Hip extension range of motion minus 10 degrees of neutral,No pain with palpation of greater trochanteric bursa,Able to perform stationary cycling with minimal resistance,Tolerance of isometric contractions of gluteus maximus and gluteus medius
→ Advance to: Phase 2: Early Mobility
Pain less than 2/10 with walking 10 minutes,Hip abduction strength at least 3/5 on manual muscle testing,No pain with resisted hip flexion in neutral,Full weight-bearing without assistive device in controlled environment,Hip internal rotation greater than 20 degrees,No provocation of iliopsoas tendon irritation with resisted flexion
→ Advance to: Phase 2: Early Mobility
Hip flexion range of motion 110 degrees or greater,Hip external rotation greater than 30 degrees, Able to perform clam exercises without pain,Gluteus medius activation score greater than 50% of contralateral side,Single leg stance time greater than 10 seconds,No pain with palpation of ischiofemoral ligament region
→ Advance to: Phase 3: Intermediate Strengthening
Hip abduction strength 4/5 or greater,Hip extension strength 4/5 or greater,Pain-free gait pattern for 15 minutes continuous,Hip abduction strength ratio greater than 70% of contralateral side,No pain with passive hip internal rotation in prone,Tolerance of progressive resistance band exercises for hip abductors
→ Advance to: Phase 3: Intermediate Strengthening
Hip flexion strength 4/5 or greater,Single leg squat to 45 degrees knee flexion without compensation,Hip external rotation strength 3/5 or greater,No provocation of acetabular labral symptoms with hip flexion and internal rotation,Can perform hip hinge pattern without lumbar compensation,Full hip range of motion in all planes within functional limits
→ Advance to: Phase 3: Intermediate Strengthening
Hip internal rotation strength 3/5 or greater,Single leg stance time greater than 20 seconds,Timed Up and Go test less than 12 seconds,No pain with deep squatting to 90 degrees hip flexion,Can perform bridge exercises with single leg progression,Tolerance of stair ambulation without pain
→ Advance to: Phase 3: Intermediate Strengthening
Hip abduction strength ratio greater than 80% of contralateral side,Single leg squat to 60 degrees knee flexion with good control,Hip extension strength ratio greater than 75% of contralateral side,No pain with prolonged sitting greater than 30 minutes,Can perform lateral step-downs without hip adduction collapse,Hip flexion strength ratio greater than 75% of contralateral side
→ Advance to: Phase 4: Advanced Strengthening
6-minute walk test distance greater than 400 meters,Hip external rotation strength ratio greater than 70% of contralateral side,No pain with running in straight line at slow pace,Single leg hop for distance greater than 70% of contralateral side,Can perform rotational movements without labral provocation,Hip adductor strength 4/5 or greater
→ Advance to: Phase 4: Advanced Strengthening
Hip internal rotation strength ratio greater than 70% of contralateral side,Single leg squat score on STEP tool greater than 22/28,No discomfort with hip flexion combined with external rotation,Can perform figure-8 running at moderate pace,No pain with palpation of iliopsoas tendon,Greater trochanteric bursa non-tender to palpation
→ Advance to: Phase 4: Advanced Strengthening
Can jog for 10 minutes at comfortable pace,Single leg balance reach test within 80% of contralateral side,No pain with resisted hip flexion in supine,Can perform squat to parallel without valgus collapse,Hip flexion strength ratio greater than 80% of contralateral side,No provocation of ischiofemoral impingement symptoms
→ Advance to: Phase 4: Advanced Strengthening
Hip abduction power greater than 80% of contralateral side on hand-held dynamometer,Can perform single leg squats to 70 degrees knee flexion,No pain with cutting maneuvers in controlled setting,Hip extension power greater than 80% of contralateral side,Can perform plyometric jumps from double leg to single leg,Hip external rotation strength ratio greater than 80% of contralateral side
→ Advance to: Phase 5: Return to Activity
Single leg hop for time less than 110% of contralateral side,Can perform running at 75% maximal speed without pain,Hip flexion power greater than 80% of contralateral side,No pain with deep hip flexion activities,Can perform lateral agility movements without compensation,Hip internal rotation strength ratio greater than 80% of contralateral side
→ Advance to: Phase 5: Return to Activity
Triple hop for distance greater than 80% of contralateral side,Can perform sport-specific movements at 50% intensity,No pain with acceleration and deceleration activities,Can perform single leg landing from 30cm height,Hip adductor strength ratio greater than 80% of contralateral side,No symptoms with prolonged weight-bearing activities
→ Advance to: Phase 5: Return to Activity
Functional Movement Screen hip mobility score 2 or greater,Can perform running at 90% maximal speed,Single leg hop battery composite score greater than 80%,No pain with high-intensity interval activities,Can perform agility drills with direction changes,No recurrence of greater trochanteric bursa symptoms
→ Advance to: Phase 5: Return to Activity
Can perform sport-specific training at 75% intensity,No hip pain with activities of daily living,Hip strength ratios all greater than 85% of contralateral side,Can perform repeated sprinting without pain,No symptoms with hip flexion greater than 90 degrees under load,Subjective hip outcome score greater than 80%
→ Advance to: Phase 5: Return to Activity - Full
Can perform sport-specific training at 90% intensity,No pain with maximal effort activities,Hip flexion combined with internal rotation without symptoms,Can perform full training session without post-activity pain,No instability symptoms with high-demand activities,Single leg hop for distance greater than 90% of contralateral side
→ Advance to: Phase 5: Return to Activity - Full
Can perform full sport participation without restrictions,No hip pain with prolonged activity greater than 60 minutes,All hip strength ratios greater than 90% of contralateral side,No recurrence of labral symptoms with hip flexion and rotation,No symptoms with unexpected loading or perturbations,Patient satisfaction greater than 8/10
→ Advance to: Phase 5: Return to Activity - Maintenance
Full return to pre-injury activity level,No hip symptoms with competitive activities,Hip outcome scores at near-normal levels,Maintenance of hip range of motion within normal limits,No pain with deep squatting or prolonged sitting,Cleared for full sports participation by physical therapist
→ Advance to: Discharge - Independent Maintenance
Return to activity milestones
Pain-free basic activities of daily living
Week 5Ankle dorsiflexion adequate for normalised gait pattern over heel
Light functional activities and conditioning
Week 8Weight-bearing tolerance increased by ≥ 25% from previous baseline
Moderate activity and sport-specific conditioning
Week 11Able to ascend and descend 4 stairs with reciprocal pattern, no rail
Full return to sport, occupation, and recreation
Week 19Weight-bearing tolerance increased by ≥ 25% from previous baseline
Precautions
- avoid-overloading
- warm-up-before
- stop-if-pain-increases
Contraindications
- recent-fracture
Pain management
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications as prescribed
- Ice therapy applied to greater trochanteric region for 15-20 minutes
- Heat therapy prior to stretching for hip capsule mobility
- Gentle soft tissue mobilization to hip abductors and flexors
- Positional relief techniques for labral symptoms
Equipment & modalities
Frequently asked questions
How much pain is acceptable during exercise?
Can I skip the clinic-based treatments and just do exercises?
What if I miss sessions or a phase takes longer?
This information is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
This content is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the guidance of a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you have about a medical condition, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you read here.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your local emergency number or go to the nearest emergency department immediately.
Medically reviewed by WellAlly Editorial Team Last reviewed October 6, 2026. · Read our editorial policy